Well, on reaching level 34 I was very confident my wife and I could handle a little questing in Thousand Needles. She was a level 29 Shaman and I was a Warrior with a big freaking axe and a healer along for company. So we met in Orgrimmar after she’d completed a successful run through Shadow Fang Keep with Darkhoof, her mentor.

From there we, she and Oddity, hopped on some Wyverns and flew up to Thunderbluff in Mulgore.

Oddity and Droonda above the hills of Mulgore.

Mulgore. It’s beautiful countryside. I love the ambient sounds of nature, the pine trees, the chill blue pools, the high walls enclosing the area like a mother’s loving embrace. Thunderbluff itself is quite nice. Awesome vistas from the bluffs overlooking the green plains and the wandering kodo and striders. One doesn’t feel more in tune with nature than visiting Thunderbluff. It stands to reason that the Tauren race undertook the mysteries of the Druids. This is also where the Horde comes to train in guns. Peace, and the means to keep it, at least in this corner of the world.

To be forever on the run from the Scourge, or the other, newer, evils that are arising just now, just doesn’t seem right. Perhaps Draenor can’t be recreated, and is forever lost now, but perhaps a spot can be found here on Azeroth where folks can raise their little ones in line with their own creeds. Mulgore seems a beautiful spot for it. Wasn’t that all Thrall wanted for his clan? That and, perhaps, a little revenge?

It was a quiet day when we arrived at Freewind Post there in Thousand Needles. And there were quests aplenty to undertake. A dedicated Warrior with a healing Shaman to support him made short work of everything thrown before us. We raided Grimtotem Village for the documents. We returned to rescue a young Tauren woman. We returned yet again to summon a monstrously large windserpent. We returned one more time to relight the summoning fire, and again slay the windserpet. We tracked down an alien egg, we hunted down a hyena of some strength, we raided the Harpies outpost, and we raided the centaur outpost, and we started the Tests. Droonda completed the Tests to the point of visiting the Scarlet Monastery, and Oddity later completed that part as well.

It was a glorious day. During the quests and the running around Droonda dinged 30! Congratulations, my dear. She returned to Orgrimmar and Oddity moved on to the Undercity where he would wait for an expedition into the Scarlet Monastery. But Droonda was not quite done yet for her level 30 Shaman quest returned her to Thousand Needles. Darkhoof accompanied her, gentleman cow that he is, and dispatched a sneaky snake level 43 Night Elf Rogue that was prowling around. She got her new Air Totem and we returned back to the safety and warmth of Orgrimmar.

The shield shown, the Commanders Crest which I won by slaying Commander Springvale in Shadow Fang Keep, is of lesser rank now, and I only keep it because 1) It goes with the white and light gold Illuminati guild colors, and 2) I can’t use the Aegis of the Scarlet Commander yet, for which I’ll have to be level 39 first. Until then it is stored in the bank. And before that, at level 37, I’ll be able to use Herod’s own Ravager, taken from his dead fingers, a very slick looking two-handed battle axe. With these in the bank is Herod’s Helmet as well.

I got all this phat loot after I entered the Scarlet Monastery, at the behest of Varimathras, with some good friends. Carlspackler, the largest Warrior I know, a Tauren wielding a Halbeard of Smiting. Lexia, Mage extraordinaire, and keeper of every pet I’m familiar with, including Murky, a Murloc orphan who she’s trained to dance the most delightful little ditty. Gambi, Priest, decurser and healer, and not your usual undead. Oddity left there, enriched and enthralled with the warrior ethos, level 35.